Amaterasu
20 inches wide x 30 inches high, acrylic on aluminum, 2022.
Shown with permission of owner, private collection. NFS
Shown with permission of owner, private collection. NFS
Amaterasu, whose name means “Shining in Heaven” is a Goddess of light, illumination, order and purity. She is the embodiment of the rising sun, queen of the “High Celestial Plain” and ruler of the Universe (all creation). She is one of the oldest and most important deities of the Shinto religion. Legend claims that she bestowed her grandson with three holy relics: a curved-beads necklace, a mirror, and the Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds. These items became the regalia of the Japanese royal family. Thus, they claimed her as a direct ancestor, which gave them a Goddess-given right to rule Japan in her name.